Fuel cut-off for grates



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N. RUGER.

- .FUEL GUT-OPP FOR GRATESQ (No Model.)

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FUEL GUT-OFF FOR GRAI'ES.

NO. 373,685. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON RUGER, OF WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

FUEL CUT-OFF FOR GRATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,685, dated November 22, 1887 Application filed September 30, 1886. Serial No. 214,999. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NELsoN RUGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilkes- Barr, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel Gut-Offs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements, as hereinafter described, in'cut-offs for fire-places and grates for cutting off or dividingthe burned from the live fuel.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan View of one form of cutoff constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 represents a similar view of a modified form of cut-off. Fig. 3 represents a front elevation of a fire-place or grate with vertical grate-bars. Fig. 4 represents a front elevation of the front plate of a grate provided with perforations therein; Fig. v5, a similar view of a grate with horizontal bars, or with horizontal slots formed in the front plate. Fig. 6 represents a vertical transverse section of a portion of a grate, showing the cutoff in operation- Fig. 7 represents a perspective view of a portion of a'grate with the hearth-plate suspended 'in position thereon and with the cut-off in readiness to be projected within the grate. Fig. 8 represents a vertical transverse section of a portion of a stove with the hearthplate in position and with the cut-off in operation. Fig. 9'represents in section the hearthplate with the cog-shaft and cogs in position therein.

Heretofore in practice,where grates are pro vided with dumping-bottoms, upon the bottom being turned to remove the spent fuel the whole of the contents of the grate-spent and unspent fuel-are dumped into the ash-pit in a commingled state, necessitating much labor in sifting the unused from the used fuel. Where a grate is at its bottom clogged by ashes and spent fuel and live fuel is on the top thereof, either much raking has to be done to remove 'such ashes, and the live fuel is thereby allowed to fall down to the bottom of the grate, and its utility thereby lost, except as a means for the live fuel can be readily cutoff from the spent fuel and held suspended upon said outoff in the top portion of the grate and the spent fuel dumped into the ash-pit Without disturbing the live fuel at the upper portion of the grate. Then by the operation of the customary drafts the live fuel can be quickly blown up and revivified and utilized to its fullest possible extent without necessitating the application of fresh fuel thereto and wait ing until that has brightened up. The economical feature of this arrangement will be readily apparent, as by reason of the support afforded the live fuel superposed on the ashes, the cutoff practically acting while it remains inserted within thegrate as a grate-bottom, said unburned fuel will be held at its highest position until its entire heating capacity is exhausted. The improved cut-off may be constructedin either of two forms, as represented in the dra\vings-viz., of fork shape, as shown at 1, Fig. l, which construction is adapted for use with grates having their front faces provided with either vertical or horizontal slots or bars,

as represented in Figs. 3 and 5, or with holes or perforations, as shown at Fig. 4, or in the form of a perforated shovel, as represented at 2, Fig. 2, which latter construction is espe cially adapted for use with those grates having horizontal slots or bars in the front portion, as represented at Fig. 5.

The cut-offs, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, are adapted to be pushed in and drawn out from between the grate-bars and within and from the fuel in the grate by hand, a handle, 3, serving as a grasp by which the cut-off can beoperated. In this initial formit is designed that when the cut-off is not needed in position within the grate it may be rested against the stove, or in any other convenient position or place within ready reach for reuse.

VVhile my improved cut-off proper is thus capable of being used, as above indicated and in the arrangement therein shown is provided as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, especially in connection wit-h fire-places and those stoves and ranges having no front hearth and hearthplate, in such stoves, &c., as have hearths and hearth-plates I construct the hearth-plate 4: on itsside edges with depending and inturned flanges 5, or with grooves formed in its depending sides, the cut-off 2 being supported by and resting and sliding within said flanges or grooves in the mannerrepresented in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings. When the cut-off is out of use, the hearth-plate is placed in its customary position to cover the hearth 6, with the depending side portions, 7, of said hearthplate resting upon and being supported by the ledges or flanges 8 on the inner side walls of the hearth. The mode of application and operation of the hearth-plate and cutoff according to this part of my invention are clearly represented in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings. The cut-off on the under faces of two, three, or more of its tines 9 when a fork-shaped cut-off iseinployed, and at suitable positions on the under face, usually at or near each side edge and center, where a cut-off of perforated-shovel form-such as is represented in Fig. 2-is used,

, with a depending rack or series of teeth, 10.

From each side edge of the hearth-plate 4 depend ears 11, which serve as bearings fora transverse shaft, 12, upon which are keyed or otherwise secured pinions 13, which engage with the teeth 10 on the under side of the cut-off.

around the same of said hooks.

means the plate can rest snugly within the hearth.

15 represents swivel hooks attached to the front edge of the hearth-plate for the purpose of securing the connection of said hearth-plate to and suspension from the grate bars in the manner represented in Figs. 7 and 8. When itis desired to insert the cut off within the grate for the purpose of cutting'the burned fuel off from the unburned fuel, the hearth-plate,

with its accompanying cut-off, is lifted 0d the hearth 6, the swivel hooks 15 turned with their points upward,and the hearth-plate then tilted or held at a suitable angle to permit of the insertion between the bars and the hooking When said hooks are thus engaged with the appropriate grate-bar, the hearth-plate is then lowered to.

a horizontal position, in which it will be securely held bysaid hooks. Then the crank 14 is applied to the end of the shaft 12, and said shovel-form of cut-off permit of air readily passing up to the superincumbent fuel.

When the hearth-plate and cut oft are suspended from a grate, after the manner repre sented in Figs. 7 and 8, said hearth-plate can readily be used as a shelf'or rest on which saucepans or other articles may rest,the hooks 15 firmly gripping the grate-bars, and, in connection with the support-afforded by the pressure against the-grate of the front edge of the hearth-plate, insuring the steady support of said hearth-plate in the position shown in the drawings. By using swivelhooks the hooks can be reversed'from the position inwhich they are shown in the drawings, and so as to have their points hook over the top edge of the grate-bar. This position is secured when it is desired to hang the hearth -plate vertically from a grate-bar, which position may sometimes be desired, as said hearth plate will then be more handy than when covering the hearth, and in that vertical position the plate can be utilized as a damper to shut off under draft and prevent air passing up through the bot.-

'tom of the grate.

In the case of stoves not having a hearthplate I construct a plate with flanges 5, ears 10, and hooks 15, and journal thepinion-shaft therein and rest the cut-off upon the flanges 5, all in the same manner as represented in the drawings. In order to adapt the plate carrying the cut-off to those grates having vertical barsin theirfrontface, all that is necessary is to simply lengthen the books 15 to adapt them to engage with the top front edge of the grate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination, with a grate having suitable openings in its front face,of afuel cutoff independent of and disconnected from the,

grate-bars and removably support said plate.

in position, substantially as shown and described. v

2. In combination with a fire-grate, a plate l having at one edge devices for connecting said on the cut-off, and a crank or handle for rotatplate with andsnpporting it from the grate, ing said shaft. IO and on its under side suitable grooves or In testimony whereof I affix my signature 1n flanges,a fuel cutoff resting at its sides within presence of two witnesses.

5 said flanges or grooves and having on its un- NELSON RUGER. der side suitable teeth or rack bars, a shaft Witnesses: jonrnaled transversely within said plate and J. H. FISHER,

having toothed pinions to engage with the teeth w J OHN G. MoAsKIE.- 

